Yoga | Birth | Babies

In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I had the pleasure of speaking with world renowned author and birth authority, Penny Simkin. We spoke of the important topic of pain versus suffering, how women’s satisfaction and memory of their birth has a direct correspondence to how they perceive being treated during their birth, emotional trauma that can ensue from an unsupported birth experience for the mother and partner and how women can best prepare for birth- especially is she has a history of trauma and abuse or just fear surrounding childbirth. Please enjoy this very rich and moving conversation.   For more on Penny visit our full show notes: prenatalyogacenter.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the three pillars of Prenatal Yoga Center methodology is community, also knows as sangha. Feeling part of community, especially in such a transitional time like pregnancy and parenthood, can help assuage fears, feel supported and find a general camaraderie. In an effort to deepen our community connection, Yoga |Birth |Babies continues to share conversations and personal stories from our community members. In this episode of Yoga| Birth |Babies, we get to know one of our community members, Yali Szulanski. Yali bravely shares her personal struggles with a serious eating disorder and how she was able to keep it in check during her two pregnancies and postpartum. For anyone who is or has faced body image issues or if you are supporting someone through this challenging experience, this episode will speak to you. For more on Yali, visit the show notes: prenatalyogacenter.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Failure to progress is the number one reason first time mothers end up having an unplanned cesarean birth. Many times the cause of the cervix failing to open is related to the baby’s position and how is it rotating through the pelvis and applying pressure onto the cervix. While some misalignments may not be able to be corrected, learning how to create balance in the birthing person’s bony pelvis and soft muscle tissue can best support baby’s chance of finding an easier exit. In today’s episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I have the pleasure of speaking with Gail Tully, certified professional midwife (CPM) and birth doula (DONA), and founder of www.SpinningBabies.com. Gail and I discus the principals of Spinning Babies and the how the position of the baby and the balance in the birthing person’s body plays a vital role in the ease and functionality of birth. For expectant mothers, partners and birth workers, the podcast will offer take a tips to help prepare the body for birth. For more on Gail visit the show no

With the myriad of nursery decor, strollers and baby gadgets, it is not surprising the amount of time and effort new parents spend on preparing for the arrival of their new family member. Unfortunately, the check list of preparation rarely makes it to setting up support for the new parents postpartum. With the current rate of PMAD, Perinatal Mood and Anxiety disorder, hovering around 20%, clearly this is an area that needs heavy consideration and attention. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with Evelyn Gama, LCSW who specializes in perinatal mental health. Evelyn discusses the steps to take to set up a postpartum mental health check in. She offers very solid and manageable ideas to help the whole family best support the new birthing parent. Unfortunately, these very important steps of postpartum preparation are often neglected. Please enjoy this episode for either yourself or someone you support. To connect with Evelyn or get the links mentioned in the podcast visit: https://prenatalyogacenter

Have you ever had a friend or family member you suspected was suffering from a Perinatal Mood and Anxiety disorder and just didn’t know if or how to approach them? With more then 20% of new parents suffering from Perinatal Mood and Anxiety disorder it is important to have the tools and language to help. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I welcome back licensed social worker and program director of the Motherhood Center, Paige Bellenbaum. Paige discusses how to approach a person you suspect may be suffering from Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder. She offers a way to gently converse with the parent without making them feel probed and awkward. This is a very important episode for birth workers and those supporting a new parent. To connect with page and see the full show notes visit: https://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/when-you-suspect-a-friend-or-loved-one-is-suffering-from-pmad/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to the Center of Disease Control. gestational diabetes affects up to 10% of pregnancies each year. For those diagnosed with this endocrine disorder, their pregnancy will be much monitored and take a different path then their counter parts. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author, Lily Nichols. Lily clearly and effectively breakdown the risks, symptoms and management of gestational diabetes. For those who are working to manage their gestational diabetes or simply want to learn more about it, this episode is for you!   For more on this episode or to connect with Lily visit prenatalyogacenter.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You had a baby! Great! Now what?? There are so many things to consider when planning for postpartum. What kind of support do you need? Who is giving you that support? Are you breastfeeding, bottle feeding or both? Where is your baby sleeping? How do you set boundaries with family and guest and so, so, so much more to consider! In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with New York City based Childbirth Educator, Birth and Postpartum doula, lactation counselor and midwive’s assistant, Grace Veras Sealy. Grace graciously gives you the low down on what to expect after baby arrives. Go grab your pen and paper and get ready to take down some notes during this informationally packed episode! To connect with Grace and learn more about her visit: prenatalyogacenter.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When taking a Childbirth Education class, you may assume that all the information you are receiving is given in hopes of best supporting you, the birthing person. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Depending on where you take your class, the information may not be based on best care practices for the birthing person, instead you may be hearing a curriculum aimed more at supporting hospital rules, policies and protocols. In this mini-sode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I talk about the reasons you may want to consider taking a Childbirth Education class outside a hospital setting if it is available to you. Please enjoy this episode! For more on this episode visit the show notes: https://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/where-to-take-childbirth-education/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wonder why at all of your prenatal visits with your care provider you have your blood pressure checked and often leave urine sample? It’s because your care provider is checking for a serious condition called preeclampsia. Never heard of it? No worries! In this episode of Yoga| Birth| Babies, I speak with community education & engagement manger of the Preeclampsia Foundation, Rebecca Britt. Rebecca uncovers all of the signs and symptoms and gives a helpful explanation of preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. By the time you finish listening to this episode, you can move forward with confidence and ease.   For more information and the full show notes visit prenatalyogacenter.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An article from Midwifery Today sited a study concluding “Participants who read positive, empowering birth stories reported an average of 33% less fear about their upcoming birth.” That great increase in personal confidence was the reason I decided to continue to share positive community birth stories on Yoga | Birth | Babies. In this episode I speak with second time community member, Lauren Seidman. Lauren opens up about her two very different pregnancies and birth and what she did to prepare herself, mentally and physically for birth and motherhood. She also explains what lead her to switching to a new care provider for her second birth. Please enjoy our talk! For more on this episode head over to the show notes: prenatalyogacenter.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The current US cesarean rates hover around 33%. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the cesarean rate should fluctuate between 10-15%. They even state “Cesarean section rates higher than 10% are not associated with reductions in maternal and newborn mortality rates” and that “every effort should be made to provide caesarean sections to women in need, rather than striving to achieve a specific rate”. Clearly there is need to further exams why cesareans are performed at such a high rate and what can be done to lower them.  In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak OB/GYN, Dr. Neel Shah. Dr Shah has been recognized for his work to help reduced unnecessary caesarean births in our country. In this podcast, we explore why in the past 40 years, cesareans have increased 500% without seeing better results for moms and babies! He also explains where you give birth can be one of the biggest factors in the risk of having a cesarean birth. This episode is so important for any women who may beco

According to the Listening to Mothers iii Survey, 41% of the people indicated that their care provider tried to induce their labor, with three out of four of those women (74%) indicating that it did start labor, resulting in an overall rate of medically induced labor of 30%. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with midwife, writer and presenter, Dr Rachel Reed. She speaks very candidly about medical induction and augmentation of labor. Dr Reed explains why and how a medical induction is performed and the precautions of pitocin. For any pregnant mother, birth worker or support person, this episode will give you a lot to ponder. In this episode: What brought Rachel to practicing midwifery. The process and hormones of a spontaneous physiological birth and how that differs from a medical induction The definition of medically necessary induction Medically justified reasons for an induction “Suspected big baby” and going post date- How a mother advocate for herself care if she is feeling pressure

“All birthing people will face a crisis of confidence at some point during a physiological labor.” This one powerful discussion point still sticks out in my mind from my juicy conversation with childbirth educator, doula and counsellor, Rhea Dempsey. In this episode of Yoga| Birth| Babies, Rhea and I dive deep into the world of birth, ways to truly prepare for birth, and embracing functional pain as part of the process. She also reveals what a crisis of confidence is during birth and how to get to the other side. Please enjoy this lively and informational conversation! In this episode: What brought Rhea to birth work. The 3 Cs – control, comfort, convenient. How the 3 Cs come into daily life and how they may or may not support birth. Functional pain and how that is different then pathological pain. How working with pain, not suffering, can benefit the laboring person. Embracing functional physiological pain when many people demonize labor pain or pity the laboring person for going through it. How to su

Navigating a satisfying sex life with your partner during pregnancy and postpartum can be a bit challenging for many. Fear of hurting the baby, working through body image issues and share logistics can create a gap in a sexual relationship. In this episode of Yoga| Birth| Babies, I speak with New York City based sex and relationship expert, Alexandria Ross from the V Club, a new wellness center in NYC focused on relationships, motherhood, and sexual wellness. They both share valuable advice about finding your pregnant and postpartum sexiness as well as dispelling myths and fears around sex during pregnancy. And of course, we sneak in a bit of pelvic floor health and how it can add to better sex! In this episode: What brought Courtney and Alexandra to this work and a bit about themselves. Common fears and concerns from both partners points of view about sex during pregnancy. How the different trimesters affects the ebb and flow of sex during pregnancy. Challenges of sex during pregnancy. Reasons might so

Not every entrance into parenthood is easy and joyful with a soundtrack of birds singing blissfully as you walk carefree through the park. You may even mutter under your breath, “This is really f**king hard, what have I done?” In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak openly with co-founder of Soul Camp and Soul Camp Creative, Michelle Goldblum. In this refreshing conversation Michelle honestly opens up about the challenges she faced the first few months of her son’s life and how she found her way to enjoying and embracing motherhood. Friendship and connection were a major support for Michelle as she found her stride in motherhood. Many new parents will be able to relate to Michelle’s struggles and perhaps feel comforted in knowing they are not feeling alone with these feelings. “Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another, “What! You too?” I thought I was the only one.” C.S Lewis In this episode:  A little about Michelle and how she got started to get into the health and wellnes

Matrescence, a seldom heard word that names the shift into motherhood, stemming from on the word, adolescence. Funny that the metamorphosis into adolescence is socially viewed with compassion, support and a general understanding of tremendous and uncontrollable change while the same slide into motherhood is often met with high expectations of “maternal instincts” and an innate understanding of how to seamlessly take on this new role and identity. In this episode, I speak with Clinical Psychologist, faculty member, and co-founder of the Sexuality, Women & Gender Project at Teachers College, Columbia University, Aurelie Athan, Ph.D about this massive transition in a new mother’s life. Aurelie shares her insights, some of her research, and teachings on this incredibly important and under discussed topic. This conversation is vital for a new parents and her support system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The day your child is born, you assume a completely new persona and identity. Many grapple with this shift from maiden to motherhood and embracing this new title and responsibility can be challenging. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, Dr. Britta Bushnell discusses working through the bumps of the 4th trimester and maintaining a sense of self while adjusting to this new role. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reducing stress and depression, increasing self awareness and happiness are just some of the amazing benefits of mediation. In this episode of Yoga | Birth |Babies, I speak with Vedic Meditation teacher and founder of The Spring Meditation, Arden Martin. Our deep and lively talk reveals what brought Arden to her meditation practice and how it has shaped her life and pregnancy. Her calm and assuring manner will inspire you to remove any hesitation and venture into your own mediation practice! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once the dust settles on the new expansion to your family, plans may need to be considered about child care and extra support. There are several options, day care, family help or hiring an in home nanny. In this episode, I speak with Christa Nader, founder of Kith and Kin Household Staffing Agency. Christa goes through the do’s and don’ts of hiring a full-time or part-time nanny, the scope of work, paid vacations and much more. This conversation can help ease anxiety about transitioning back to work or just finding the right fit for a date night sitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An epidural is a very familiar term for most, but how much knowledge do people have about it? In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with anesthesiologist and yoga teacher, Claire Sandberg. Claire breaks down common myths and misconceptions about epidural anesthesia and clearly present the facts about epidurals so listeners can make an educated, informed choice. If you enjoyed this episode please subscribe, rate & review us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices